CN116783907A

CN116783907A - Method and apparatus for Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) activation and deactivation

Info

Publication number: CN116783907A
Application number: CN202180089955.7A
Authority: CN
Inventors: P·戈丁; H·T·贝利恩; D·纳弗拉蒂尔
Original assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy
Current assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy
Priority date: 2021-01-08
Filing date: 2021-12-16
Publication date: 2023-09-19
Also published as: US20220225057A1; WO2022148627A1; EP4275362A1; US11503437B2

Abstract

Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) deactivation and/or activation are provided. A method may include: at a multicast broadcast session management entity, receiving a Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) session setup message from at least one management entity, the MBS session setup message comprising at least one of: an identifier of at least one network node requesting establishment of a Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) session and an identifier of at least one management entity. The method may further comprise: storing at a multicast broadcast management entity at least one of: an identifier of at least one network node, an identifier of at least one management entity, or an identifier of a region of at least one management entity.

Description

Method and apparatus for Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) activation and deactivation

Technical Field

Some example embodiments may relate generally to communications, including mobile or wireless telecommunication systems, such as Long Term Evolution (LTE) or fifth generation (5G) radio access technology or New Radio (NR) access technology, or other communication systems. For example, certain example embodiments may be generally directed to systems and/or methods for Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) activation and/or deactivation.

Background

Examples of mobile or wireless telecommunications systems may include Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) terrestrial radio access network (UTRAN), long Term Evolution (LTE) evolved UTRAN (E-UTRAN), LTE-advanced (LTE-a), multeFire, LTE-a Pro, and/or fifth generation (5G) radio access technology or New Radio (NR) access technology. The 5G wireless system refers to the Next Generation (NG) radio system and network architecture. The 5G system is built primarily on top of the 5G New Radio (NR), but the 5G (or NG) network may also be built on top of the E-UTRA radio. It is estimated that NR provides bit rates on the order of 10-20Gbit/s or higher and can support at least service classes such as enhanced mobile broadband (emmbb) and ultra-reliable low latency communication (URLLC), and large-scale machine type communication (mctc). NR is expected to achieve extremely broadband and ultra-robust low latency connectivity and large-scale networking to support internet of things (IoT). As IoT and machine-to-machine (M2M) communications become more prevalent, there will be an ever-increasing demand for networks that meet the demands for lower power, low data rates, and long battery life. The next generation radio access network (NG-RAN) represents a RAN for 5G that can provide both NR and LTE (as well as LTE-advanced) radio access. Note that in 5G, a node that may provide radio access functionality to user equipment (i.e., similar to a Node B (NB) in UTRAN, or an evolved NB (eNB) in LTE) may be named next generation NB (gNB) when built over NR radio, and may be named next generation eNB (NG-eNB) when built over E-UTRA radio.

Disclosure of Invention

One embodiment relates to a method that may include: a Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) session establishment message comprising at least one of an identifier of the network node and an identifier of a management entity through which the Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) session establishment message is sent by the network node. The method may further comprise: a message to deactivate a Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) session is received and, in response to receiving the message to deactivate the Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) session, a context of the Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) session is transitioned to a deactivated state.

Another embodiment relates to an apparatus that may include at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code. The at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to: a Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) session establishment message including at least one of an identifier of the apparatus and an identifier of a management entity through which the Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) session establishment message is transmitted, a message to deactivate the Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) session is received, and a context of the Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) session is transitioned to a deactivated state in response to receiving the message to deactivate the Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) session.

Another embodiment relates to an apparatus, which may include: means for transmitting a Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) session establishment message comprising at least one of an identifier of the network node and an identifier of a management entity through which the Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) session establishment message is transmitted. The apparatus may further include: means for receiving a message to deactivate a Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) session, and means for transitioning a context of the Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) session to a deactivated state in response to receiving the message to deactivate the Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) session.

Another embodiment relates to a method, which may include: a message to deactivate a Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) session is received from a multicast broadcast session management entity, the message comprising at least an identifier of one or more network nodes involved in the Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) session and a deactivation message to deactivate the Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) session is sent towards the one or more network nodes indicated in the received deactivation message.

Another embodiment relates to an apparatus that may include at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code. The at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to: a message to deactivate a Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) session is received from a multicast broadcast session management entity, the message comprising at least an identifier of one or more network nodes involved in the Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) session and a deactivation message to deactivate the Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) session is sent towards the one or more network nodes indicated in the received deactivation message.

Another embodiment relates to an apparatus, which may include: means for receiving a message from a multicast broadcast session management entity to deactivate a Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) session, the message comprising at least identifiers of one or more network nodes involved in the Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) session; and means for sending a deactivation message to deactivate a Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) session towards one or more network nodes indicated in the received deactivation message.

Another embodiment relates to a method, which may include: at a multicast broadcast session management entity, receiving a Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) session establishment message from at least one management entity, the Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) session establishment message comprising at least one of: an identifier of at least one network node requesting establishment of a multicast broadcast service (MS) session, and an identifier of at least one management entity, and at the multicast broadcast session management entity, storing at least one of: an identifier of at least one network node, an identifier of at least one management entity, or an identifier of a region of at least one management entity.

Another embodiment relates to an apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code. The at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to: receiving a Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) session establishment message from at least one management entity, the Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) session establishment message comprising at least one of: an identifier of at least one network node requesting establishment of a Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) session, and an identifier of at least one management entity, and storing at least one of: an identifier of at least one network node, an identifier of at least one management entity, or an identifier of a region of at least one management entity.

Another embodiment relates to an apparatus, which may include: means for receiving a Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) session establishment message from at least one management entity, the Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) session establishment message comprising at least one of: an identifier of at least one network node requesting establishment of a Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) session, and an identifier of at least one management entity. The apparatus may further comprise means for storing at least one of: an identifier of at least one network node, an identifier of at least one management entity, or an identifier of a region of at least one management entity.

Drawings

For a proper understanding of the exemplary embodiments, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates an example block diagram of an MBS architecture according to one example;

fig. 2 shows an example signaling diagram depicting information storage at MB-SMF, according to one embodiment;

FIG. 3 illustrates an example signaling diagram depicting deactivation of MBS sessions according to one embodiment;

FIG. 4 illustrates an example signaling diagram depicting activation of MBS sessions according to one embodiment;

FIG. 5A illustrates an example flow chart of a method according to one embodiment;

FIG. 5B illustrates an example flow chart of a method according to one embodiment;

FIG. 5C illustrates an example flow chart of a method according to one embodiment;

FIG. 6A illustrates an example block diagram of an apparatus according to one embodiment;

FIG. 6B illustrates an example block diagram of an apparatus according to one embodiment; and

fig. 6C illustrates an example block diagram of an apparatus according to one embodiment.

Detailed Description

It will be readily understood that the components of certain example embodiments, as generally described and illustrated in the figures herein, could be arranged and designed in a wide variety of different configurations. Accordingly, the following detailed description of some example embodiments of systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) activation and/or deactivation is not intended to limit the scope of certain embodiments, but is representative of selected example embodiments.

The features, structures, or characteristics of the example embodiments described throughout this specification may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more example embodiments. For example, use of the phrases "certain embodiments," "some embodiments," or other similar language throughout this specification may, for example, mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with one embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment. Thus, appearances of the phrases "in certain embodiments," "in some embodiments," "in other embodiments," or other similar language throughout this specification do not necessarily all refer to the same group of embodiments, and the described features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more example embodiments.

Furthermore, if desired, the different functions or processes discussed below may be performed in a different order and/or concurrently with each other. Furthermore, one or more of the described functions or processes may be optional or may be combined, if desired. The following description should be taken in an illustrative, as not a limiting sense, of the principles and teachings of certain example embodiments.

Fig. 1 shows an example block diagram of an MBS architecture 100. The 5G MBS service information may be delivered from the application/service layer to the 5G core network (5 GC) 110. UE(s) 120 may request to join an MBS session, MBS streaming may be established, and MBS data may be delivered to UE(s) 120. The MBS session may be deactivated and/or activated. For example, MBs sessions may be deactivated/activated from an Application Function (AF) trigger (e.g., via a network open function (NEF)) or from a multicast user plane function (MB-UPF) trigger upon detection of a multicast data suspension or an active resume. During the period when the MBS session is deactivated, it has been agreed that the next generation radio access network (NG-RAN) node 130 may transition some UE(s) to a Radio Resource Control (RRC) idle mode.

Thus, the MBS session may be stopped via an AF request, and the UE(s) that have joined the multicast session may become "idle". Further, when the MB-UPF does not detect multicast data within a configurable period of time, the MBs session may be deactivated and, similarly, the UE(s) that have joined the multicast session may become "idle".

Thus, there is a need for a method for how to handle MBS contexts in NG-RAN nodes when MBS sessions are deactivated, and how to handle them when MBS sessions are activated again. For example, a solution may be needed in different situations as follows: the NG-RAN node may decide to keep the UEs connected or to transition the UEs to RRC inactive state or to transition them to RRC idle state. Furthermore, it may be desirable to avoid signaling surges in the network to manage these contexts at both deactivation time and activation time.

Currently, when deactivation is triggered, it is envisioned that MBS context is maintained in 5GC and removed from NG-RAN node. In particular, when the MBS session is deactivated by the 5GC, the MBS session context is maintained in the 5GC, but AN resources with the context and the N3 tunnel for the 5 GC-shared MBS delivery method are released.

When an MBS session needs to be activated, the MB-UPF may send a message to a multicast broadcast session management function (MB-SMF). When the MB-SMF starts MBs session activation to establish transmission resources, the MB-SMF may notify the NG-RAN of the session activation via a Session Management Function (SMF) and/or an access and mobility management function (AMF) within the multicast session that serves the UE.

The MBS session may be activated/initiated via an AF request. When an MBS session needs to be activated/initiated, the NEF or the MBSF may send a message to the MB-SMF for establishing transmission resources. The MB-SMF may obtain relevant multicast QoS flow information from a Policy Control Function (PCF). When the MB-SMF restarts the MBs session, the MB-SMF may notify the NG-RAN of the session activation via the SMF/AMF serving the UE within the multicast session.

However, at present, the exact notification mechanism has not been specified. Furthermore, the release of all MBS context information may be signaling intensive. At present, it is also unclear how the MBS context for RRC connected UEs or RRC inactive UEs will be re-created if removed at deactivation. It is further unclear how this notification can work for UEs that have been transitioned to RRC idle, and how MBS contexts in the RAN can be re-established if they are all removed.

As will be discussed in detail below, certain example embodiments may provide solutions to at least the problems discussed above, as well as other problems that may benefit from the methods described herein.

Some example embodiments provide mechanisms for signaling deactivation when the MB-SMF receives a trigger to deactivate from the MB-UPF and/or from the AF. As will be discussed in more detail below, according to certain example embodiments, the process for deactivating or activating may rely on some information storage in, for example, MB-SMF.

Fig. 2 shows an example signaling diagram depicting information storage at MB-SMF, according to one embodiment. As shown in the example of fig. 2, at 205, when the NG-RAN node establishes User Plane (UP) resources with the MB-UPF via the MB-SMF, the NG-RAN node may include the NG-RAN node ID in the NGAP message and possibly also the AMF ID (e.g., the AMF ID of the AMF through which the establishment message was sent to the MB-SMF). Upon receiving the MBS UP setup message, the mb-SMF may store the NG-RAN node ID, and/or the associated AMF ID, and/or the area ID of the AMF through which the message is being delivered, at 210. For example, in some embodiments, the MB-SMF may build and store a list of NG-RAN node IDs for each AMF or a list of NG-RAN node IDs for each region. In one embodiment, the ng-RAN node may receive an MBS UP setup response from the AMF at 215.

FIG. 3 illustrates an example signaling diagram depicting deactivation of MBS sessions according to one embodiment. In one embodiment, at any point in time when the MB-SMF wants to trigger deactivation of an MBs session, it may retrieve the list of all NG-RAN nodes involved in the MBs session from storage at 210. The mb-SMF may then send a deactivation message to one or more AMFs at 320.

For example, in one embodiment, the MB-SMF may send a deactivation message to the involved NG-RAN node(s) via the associated AMF stored at 210. In this embodiment, the deactivation message may include at least the ID(s) of the NG-RAN node(s) involved in the MBS session, so that the AMF routes the deactivation message to the correct NG-RAN node(s).

According to further embodiments, the MB-SMF may send a deactivation message to the associated AMF(s) stored at 210. In this embodiment, the deactivation message may include a list of NG-RAN node IDs involved in the MBS session associated with the AMF at 210. The AMF may replicate the message towards the involved NG-RAN node(s) identified in the received deactivation message, or may construct and send an individual message for each NG-RAN node, the message containing the target NG-RAN node ID. In other embodiments, the MB-SMF may send an activation message to any AMF of the stored region to which the list of target N G-RAN node IDs belongs.

In yet another embodiment, the MB-SMF may send a deactivation message to one AMF for each region stored at 210. In this embodiment, the deactivation message may include a list of NG-RAN node IDs involved in the MBS session for that region. The AMF (e.g., one of the areas) may replicate the message towards the involved NG-RAN node(s), or may construct an individual message for each NG-RAN node, the message containing the target NG-RAN node ID.

According to some embodiments, the NG-RAN node may transition the MBS context to a "deactivated state" via receipt of a deactivation message at 330. As long as the MBS context state is still "deactivated", as shown at 340, the NG-RAN node may keep the UE MBS context information stay in the UE context of the RRC connected UE, as shown at 345, the NG-RN node may keep the UE MBS context information stay in the UE context of the RRC inactive UE, as shown at 347, the NG-RAN node may remove the UE context including the UE MBS context information of the UE it decided to transition to RRC idle. Furthermore, the NG-RAN node may maintain the N3 shared tunnel as long as there is at least one UE in the NG-RAN node in an RRC connected state or an RRC inactive state. The NG-RAN node may also maintain the MBS context for the MBS session as long as there is at least one UE in the NG-RAN node in RRC connected state or RRC inactive state. Otherwise, in one embodiment, when the MBS context is no longer present, the ng-RAN node may remove the N3 shared tunnel at 350.

Fig. 4 illustrates an example signaling diagram depicting activation of an MBS session according to an embodiment. For example, the example of fig. 4 illustrates a procedure for signaling activation when the MB-SMF receives a trigger to activate from the MB-UPF at 402 (recovery of multicast traffic) and/or receives a trigger to activate from the AF at 404. As shown in the example of fig. 4, at any point in time when the MB-SMF wants to trigger activation of an MBs session, the MB-SMF may retrieve the list of NG-RAN node(s) involved in the MBs session from storage at 210. The mb-SMF may then send an activate message at 415.

For example, in one embodiment, the MB-SMF may send an activation message to each involved NG-RAN node via the associated AMF stored at 210. In this embodiment, the activation message may include the ID(s) of the NG-RAN node involved in the MBS session, so that the AMF routes the activation message to the correct NG-RAN node.

In another embodiment, the MB-SMF may send an activation message to the associated AMF(s) stored at 210. According to this embodiment, the activation message may include a list of NG-RAN node IDs involved in the MBS session associated with the AMF at 210. The AMF may copy the activation message towards each involved NG-RAN node and/or construct and send an individual activation message for each NG-RAN node, the activation message containing the target NG-RAN node ID.

According to further embodiments, the MB-SMF may send an activation message to one AMF for each region stored at 210. In this embodiment, the activation message may include a list of NG-RAN node ID(s) involved in the MBS session for that region. The AMF may replicate the activation message towards each involved NG-RAN node and/or construct an individual activation message for each NG-RAN node, the activation message containing the target NG-RAN node ID. In other embodiments, the MB-SMF may send an activation message to any AMF of the stored region as follows: the list of target NG-RAN node ID(s) belongs to the stored area.

In some embodiments, upon receiving the activation message for the MBS session, the NG-RAN node may refrain from transitioning the RRC connected or RRC inactive UE involved in the MBS session to an RRC idle state at 420.

Fig. 5A illustrates an example flow diagram of a method of deactivating and/or activating an MBS session according to an embodiment. In certain example embodiments, the flowchart of fig. 5A may be performed by a network entity or network node in a communication system (such as LTE or 5G NR). In some example embodiments, the network entity performing the method of fig. 5A may include, or be included in, a base station, an access node, a node B, eNB, gNB, NG-RAN node, or the like. In one example embodiment, the method of fig. 5A may be performed by an NG-RAN node, such as the NG-RAN node depicted in the example diagrams of fig. 1-4.

As shown in the example of fig. 5A, the method may include: at 500, an MBS session establishment message is sent, the MBS session establishment message comprising at least one of: an identifier of a network node (e.g., NG-RAN node) that transmitted the MBS session setup message, and an identifier of a management entity (e.g., AMF) through which the MBS session setup message is transmitted. In one embodiment, the method may further comprise: at 505, a message to deactivate the MBS session is received from the MB-SMF, e.g., via a management entity (e.g., AMF). According to some embodiments, in response to receiving a message to deactivate an MBS session, the method may include: at 510, the context of the MBS session is transitioned to the deactivated state.

In some embodiments, when the MBS context is in a deactivated state, the method may include: UE MBS context information in a User Equipment (UE) context of one or more User Equipments (UEs) still in a Radio Resource Control (RRC) connected state, UE MBS context information in a User Equipment (UE) context of one or more User Equipments (UEs) still in a Radio Resource Control (RRC) inactive state, UE contexts including UE MBS contexts of one or more User Equipments (UEs) the network node decides to transition to a Radio Resource Control (RRC) idle state are removed. Furthermore, in one embodiment, the method may include: the N3 shared tunnel is maintained when there is at least one User Equipment (UE) in the network node in a Radio Resource Control (RRC) connected state or an RRC inactive state. Additionally, in some embodiments, the method may include: when there is at least one User Equipment (UE) in the network node in a Radio Resource Control (RRC) connected state or an RRC inactive state, the MBS context in the NG-RAN node is maintained.

According to some embodiments, the method of fig. 5A may optionally include: at 515, when the MBS context is deactivated, a Radio Resource Control (RRC) connected User Equipment (UE) or Radio Resource Control (RRC) inactive User Equipment (UE) involved in the MBS session is prevented from transitioning to a Radio Resource Control (RRC) idle state. In one embodiment, the method may include: at 520, when the MBS context is deactivated, a message to activate the MBS session is received.

FIG. 5B illustrates an example flow diagram of a method of deactivating and/or activating MBS sessions according to one embodiment. In certain example embodiments, the flowchart of fig. 5B may be performed by a network entity or network node in a communication system (such as LTE or 5 GS). In some example embodiments, the network entity performing the method of fig. 5B may include, or be included in, a management entity or function (such as an AMF, SMF, and/or AF). In one example embodiment, the method of fig. 5B may be performed by an AMF, such as the AMF depicted in the example diagrams of fig. 2-4.

As shown in the example of fig. 5B, the method may include: at 530, an MBS session establishment message is received from a network node (e.g., an NG-RAN node). The MBS session setup message may include at least one of: an identifier of the network node and/or an identifier of the optional management entity (e.g., AMF). In one embodiment, the method may include: at 533, the MBS session establishment message is forwarded to a multicast broadcast session management entity (such as MB-SMF). According to some embodiments, the method may further comprise: at 535, a message to deactivate the MBS session is received from a multicast broadcast session management entity (e.g., MB-SMF). The message to deactivate the MBS session may include at least an identifier of one or more network nodes involved in the MBS session. In some embodiments, the method may include: at 540, a deactivation message to deactivate the MBS session is sent towards one or more network nodes involved in the MBS session.

According to some embodiments, the sending 540 of the deactivation message may include: based on the identifiers of the network nodes received from the multicast broadcast session management entity in the message to deactivate the MBS session, the deactivation message is replicated towards one or more network nodes involved in the MBS session or individual messages are constructed and sent for each of the one or more network nodes involved in the MBS session.

In some embodiments, the method may optionally include: at 545, a message to activate an MBS session is received from a multicast broadcast session management entity. The message to activate the MBS session may include at least identifiers of one or more network nodes involved in the MBS session. The method may then include: at 550, an activation message to activate the MBS session is routed or sent to one or more network nodes identified in the message received from the multicast broadcast session management entity. In one embodiment, the sending of the activation message may include: based on the identifiers of the network nodes received from the multicast broadcast session management entity in the message to activate the MBS session, the activation message is replicated towards one or more network nodes involved in the MBS session or an individual message is constructed and sent for each of the one or more network nodes involved in the MBS session.

FIG. 5C illustrates an example flow diagram of a method of deactivating and/or activating MBS sessions according to one embodiment. In certain example embodiments, the flowchart of fig. 5C may be performed by a network entity or network node in a communication system (such as LTE or 5 GS). In some example embodiments, the network entity performing the method of fig. 5C may include, or be included in, a multicast broadcast session management entity or function (e.g., such as MB-SMF). In one example embodiment, the method of fig. 5C may be performed by an MB-SMF, such as the MB-SMF depicted in the example diagrams of fig. 2-4.

As shown in the example of fig. 5C, the method may include: at 560, an MBS session establishment message is received from at least one management entity (e.g., an AMF). The MBS session setup message may include at least one of: an identifier of at least one network node (e.g., NG-RAN node) and an identifier of at least one management entity (e.g., AMF) requesting establishment of the MBS session. In one embodiment, the method may include: at 565, one or more of the following is stored: an identifier of at least one network node (e.g., NG-RAN node), an identifier of at least one management entity (e.g., AMF), and/or an identifier of a region of at least one management entity (e.g., a region of AMF). In some embodiments, storage 565 may include: at least one of the following is constructed and stored: a list of identifiers of at least one network node for each management entity (e.g., an ID of NG-RAN node for each AMF), or a list of identifiers of at least one network node for each area (e.g., an ID of RAN node for each AMF area).

According to some embodiments, when a multicast broadcast management entity decides to trigger deactivation of an MBS session, the method may comprise: at 570, a message to deactivate the MBS session is sent to at least one management entity. In this embodiment, the message may comprise at least an identifier of at least one network node involved in the MBS session. In one embodiment, the sending 570 of the message to deactivate the Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) session may include: a deactivation message is sent to the at least one management entity, the deactivation message comprising a list of identifiers of at least one network node involved in the MBS session associated with the at least one management entity. Additionally or alternatively, the sending 570 of the message to deactivate the Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) session may include: a deactivation message is sent to one management entity for each stored zone, the deactivation message comprising a list of identifiers for at least one network node involved in the MBS session of the zone.

In some embodiments, when a multicast broadcast management entity decides to trigger activation of a Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) session, the method may include: the identifier of at least one network node involved in the MBS session is retrieved and, at 575, a message is sent to activate the MBS session, which message may include at least the identifier of at least one network node involved in the MBS session. According to some embodiments, the sending 575 of the message to activate the MBS session may comprise: an activation message is sent to at least one management entity (e.g., an AMF) that includes a list of identifiers of at least one network node involved in an MBS session associated with the at least one management entity. Additionally or alternatively, the sending 575 of the message to activate the MBS session may comprise: an activation message is sent to one management entity (e.g., AMF) for each stored zone, the activation message comprising a list of identifiers for at least one network node involved in an MBS session for that zone.

Fig. 6A shows an example of an apparatus 10 according to an embodiment. In one embodiment, the apparatus 10 may be a node, host, or server in a communication network or serving such a network. For example, the apparatus 10 may be a satellite, a base station, a node B, an evolved node B (eNB), a 5G node B or access point, a next generation node B (NG-NB or gNB), a Transmission Reception Point (TRP), a High Altitude Platform (HAPS), an Integrated Access and Backhaul (IAB) node, and/or a WLAN access point associated with a radio access network, such as an LTE network, 5G, or NR. In an example embodiment, the apparatus 10 may represent an NG-RAN, such as the NG-RAN shown in fig. 1-4.

It should be appreciated that in some example embodiments, the apparatus 10 may comprise an edge cloud server as a distributed computing system, where the server and the radio node may be separate apparatuses that communicate with each other via a radio path or via a wired connection, or they may be located in the same entity that communicates via a wired connection. For example, in some example embodiments where apparatus 10 represents a gNB, it may be configured in a Central Unit (CU) and Distributed Unit (DU) architecture that partitions gNB functionality. In such an architecture, a CU may be a logical node including the gNB functions (such as transmission of user data, mobility control, radio access network sharing, positioning and/or session management, etc.). The CU may control the operation of the DU(s) through the forwarding interface. The DU may be a logical node comprising a subset of gNB functions, depending on the function split option. It should be noted that one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the device 10 may include components or features not shown in fig. 6A.

As shown in the example of fig. 6A, the apparatus 10 may include a processor 12 for processing information and executing instructions or operations. The processor 12 may be any type of general purpose or special purpose processor. In fact, for example, the processor 12 may include one or more of the following: general purpose computers, special purpose computers, microprocessors, digital Signal Processors (DSPs), field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), and processors based on a multi-core processor architecture, or any other processing components.

Although a single processor 12 is shown in fig. 6A, multiple processors may be utilized according to other example embodiments. For example, it should be appreciated that in some embodiments, apparatus 10 may comprise two or more processors, which may form a multiprocessor system that may support multiple processing (e.g., processor 12 may represent multiple processors in this case). In some embodiments, the multiprocessor system may be tightly coupled or loosely coupled (e.g., to form a computer cluster).

Processor 12 may perform functions associated with the operation of apparatus 10, which may include, for example, precoding of antenna gain/phase parameters, encoding and decoding of individual bits forming a communication message, formatting of information, and overall control of apparatus 10, including processes related to management of communication resources.

The apparatus 10 may also include or be coupled to a memory 14 (internal or external), the memory 14 may be coupled to the processor 12, the memory 14 for storing information and instructions that may be executed by the processor 12. Memory 14 may be one or more memories and may be of any type suitable to the local application environment and may be implemented using any suitable volatile or non-volatile data storage technology, such as semiconductor-based memory devices, magnetic memory devices and systems, optical memory devices and systems, fixed memory, and/or removable memory. For example, memory 14 may include any combination of Random Access Memory (RAM), read Only Memory (ROM), static storage device such as a magnetic or optical disk, a Hard Disk Drive (HDD), or any other type of non-transitory machine or computer readable medium, or other suitable storage means. The instructions stored in the memory 14 may include program instructions or computer program code that, when executed by the processor 12, enable the apparatus 10 to perform the tasks described herein.

In one embodiment, the apparatus 10 may also include or be coupled to a (internal or external) drive or port configured to accept and read external computer-readable storage media, such as an optical disk, a USB drive, a flash drive, or any other storage medium. For example, an external computer readable storage medium may store computer programs or software for execution by processor 12 and/or apparatus 10.

In some embodiments, the apparatus 10 may also include or be coupled to one or more antennas 15, the antennas 15 for transmitting signals and/or data to the apparatus 10 and receiving signals and/or data from the apparatus 10. The apparatus 10 may also include or be coupled to a transceiver 18, the transceiver 18 being configured to transmit and/or receive information. The transceiver 18 may comprise, for example, a plurality of radio interfaces that may be coupled to the antenna(s) 15, or may comprise any other suitable transceiving component. In some embodiments, the radio interface may correspond to a variety of radio access technologies including one or more of GSM, NB-IoT, LTE, 5G, WLAN, bluetooth, BT-LE, NFC, radio Frequency Identification (RFID), ultra Wideband (UWB), multeFIre, and the like. According to example embodiments, the radio interface may include components such as filters, converters (e.g., digital-to-analog converters, etc.), mappers, fast Fourier Transform (FFT) modules, etc., for example, to generate symbols or signals for transmission via one or more downlinks and to receive symbols (e.g., via an uplink).

Thus, transceiver 18 may be configured to modulate information onto a carrier waveform for transmission by antenna(s) 15 and demodulate information received via antenna(s) 15 for further processing by other elements of apparatus 10. In other example embodiments, the transceiver 18 may be capable of directly transmitting and receiving signals or data. Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments, the apparatus 10 may include input devices and/or output devices (I/O devices), or input/output components.

In one embodiment, memory 14 may store software modules that provide functionality when executed by processor 12. The module may include, for example, an operating system that provides operating system functionality for the device 10. The memory may also store one or more functional modules, such as applications or programs, to provide additional functionality to the apparatus 10. The components of apparatus 10 may be implemented in hardware or as any suitable combination of hardware and software.

According to some embodiments, the processor 12 and the memory 14 may be included in or may form part of processing circuitry or control circuitry. Further, in some embodiments, transceiver 18 may be included in or form part of transceiver circuitry.

As used herein, the term "circuitry" may refer to a hardware-only circuit implementation (e.g., analog and/or digital circuitry), a combination of hardware circuitry and software, a combination of analog and/or digital hardware circuitry and software, a hardware processor(s) (including digital signal processors) with software working together to cause an apparatus (e.g., apparatus 10) to perform any portion of the various functions, and/or a hardware circuit(s) and/or processor(s) or portion thereof that operate using software but that may not be present when operation is not required. As a further example, as used herein, the term "circuitry" may also encompass hardware circuitry only or a portion of a hardware circuit or processor (or multiple processors), as well as implementations accompanying software and/or firmware. The term circuitry may also encompass baseband integrated circuits in, for example, a server, a cellular network node or device, or other computing or network device.

As described above, in some embodiments, the apparatus 10 may be a network node or RAN node, such as a base station, an access point, a node B, eNB, gNB, TRP, HAPS, IAB node, a WLAN access point, or the like. In one example embodiment, the apparatus 10 may be a network node in an NG-RAN. For example, in some embodiments, the apparatus 10 may be configured to perform one or more of the processes shown in any of the flowcharts or signaling diagrams described herein, such as the process shown in fig. 5A. In some embodiments, as discussed herein, the apparatus 10 may be configured to perform processes related to, for example, deactivating and/or activating MBS sessions.

Fig. 6B shows an example of an apparatus 20 according to another embodiment. In one embodiment, the apparatus 20 may be a node or element in or associated with a communication network, such as a satellite, base station, node B, evolved node B (eNB), 5G node B or access point, next generation node B (NG-NB or gNB), and/or WLAN access point associated with a radio access network, such as an LTE network, 5G or NR. According to one embodiment, the apparatus 20 may be a management entity or function, or may be included therein, such as an AMF, SMF, and/or AF, such as those shown in the example diagrams of fig. 2-4.

It should be appreciated that in some example embodiments, the apparatus 20 may comprise an edge cloud server as a distributed computing system, where the server and radio node may be separate apparatuses that communicate with each other via a radio path or via a wired connection, or they may be located in the same entity that communicates via a wired connection. For example, in some example embodiments where apparatus 20 represents a gNB, it may be configured in a Central Unit (CU) and Distributed Unit (DU) architecture that partitions gNB functions. In such an architecture, a CU may be a logical node including the gNB functions (such as transmission of user data, mobility control, radio access network sharing, positioning and/or session management, etc.). The CU may control the operation of the DU(s) through the forwarding interface. The DU may be a logical node comprising a subset of gNB functions, depending on the function partitioning options. It should be noted that one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the apparatus 20 may include components or features not shown in fig. 6B.

In some example embodiments, the apparatus 20 may include one or more processors, one or more computer-readable storage media (e.g., memory, storage, etc.), one or more radio access components (e.g., modem, transceiver, etc.), and/or a user interface. In some embodiments, the apparatus 20 may be configured to operate using one or more radio access technologies, such as GSM, LTE, LTE-A, NR, 5G, WLAN, wiFi, NB-IoT, bluetooth, NFC, multeFire, and/or any other radio access technology. It should be noted that one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the apparatus 20 may include components or features not shown in fig. 6B.

As shown in the example of fig. 6B, apparatus 20 may include or be coupled to a processor 22 for processing information and executing instructions or operations. The processor 22 may be any type of general purpose or special purpose processor. In practice, the processor 22 may include one or more of the following: general purpose computers, special purpose computers, microprocessors, digital Signal Processors (DSPs), field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), and processors based on a multi-core processor architecture. Although a single processor 22 is shown in fig. 6B, multiple processors may be utilized according to other embodiments. For example, it should be appreciated that in some embodiments, apparatus 20 may comprise two or more processors, which may form a multiprocessor system that may support multiple processing (e.g., processor 22 may represent multiple processors in this case). In some embodiments, the multiprocessor system may be tightly coupled or loosely coupled (e.g., to form a computer cluster).

Processor 22 may perform functions associated with the operation of apparatus 20 including, as some examples, precoding of antenna gain/phase parameters, encoding and decoding of individual bits forming a communication message, formatting of information, and overall control of apparatus 20, including processes related to management of communication resources.

The apparatus 20 may also include or be coupled (internal or external) to a memory 24, which memory 24 may be coupled to the processor 22, the memory 24 for storing information and instructions that may be executed by the processor 22. Memory 24 may be one or more memories and may be of any type suitable to the local application environment and may be implemented using any suitable volatile or non-volatile data storage technology, such as semiconductor-based memory devices, magnetic memory devices and systems, optical memory devices and systems, fixed memory, and/or removable memory. For example, the memory 24 may include any combination of Random Access Memory (RAM), read Only Memory (ROM), a static storage device such as a magnetic or optical disk, a Hard Disk Drive (HDD), or any other type of non-transitory machine or computer readable medium. The instructions stored in the memory 24 may include program instructions or computer program code that, when executed by the processor 22, enable the apparatus 20 to perform tasks as described herein.

In one embodiment, the apparatus 20 may also include or be coupled to a (internal or external) drive or port configured to accept and read external computer-readable storage media, such as an optical disk, USB drive, flash drive, or any other storage medium. For example, an external computer readable storage medium may store computer programs or software for execution by processor 22 and/or apparatus 20.

In some embodiments, the apparatus 20 may also include or be coupled to one or more antennas 25, the antennas 25 to receive the downlink signals and to transmit from the apparatus 20 via the uplink. The apparatus 20 may also include a transceiver 28 configured to transmit and receive information. Transceiver 28 may also include a radio interface (e.g., a modem) coupled to antenna 25. The radio interface may correspond to one or more of a variety of radio access technologies, including GSM, LTE, LTE-A, 5G, NR, WLAN, NB-IoT, bluetooth, BT-LE, NFC, RFID, UWB, and the like. The radio interface may include other components such as filters, converters (e.g., digital-to-analog converters, etc.), symbol demappers, signal shaping components, inverse Fast Fourier Transform (IFFT) modules, etc., to process symbols carried by the downlink or uplink, such as OFDMA symbols.

For example, transceiver 28 may be configured to modulate information onto a carrier wave for transmission by antenna(s) 25 and demodulate information received via antenna(s) 25 for further processing by other elements of apparatus 20. In other embodiments, transceiver 28 may be capable of directly transmitting and receiving signals or data. Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments, apparatus 20 may include input and/or output devices (I/O devices). In some embodiments, the apparatus 20 may also include a user interface, such as a graphical user interface or a touch screen.

In one embodiment, memory 24 stores software modules that provide functionality when executed by processor 22. The module may include, for example, an operating system that provides operating system functionality for device 20. The memory may also store one or more functional modules, such as applications or programs, to provide additional functionality to the apparatus 20. The components of apparatus 20 may be implemented in hardware or as any suitable combination of hardware and software. According to an example embodiment, apparatus 20 may optionally be configured to communicate with apparatus 10 or apparatus 30 via a wireless or wired communication link or interface 70 according to any radio access technology, such as NR.

According to some embodiments, the processor 22 and the memory 24 may be included in, or may form part of, processing circuitry/components or control circuitry/components. Further, in some embodiments, transceiver 28 may be included in, or may form part of, transceiver circuitry or transceiver components.

As described above, according to some embodiments, the apparatus 20 may be a management entity or function, such as an AMF, SMF, and/or AF. According to some embodiments, the apparatus 20 may be controlled by the memory 24 and the processor 22 to perform the functions associated with the example embodiments described herein. For example, in some embodiments, apparatus 20 may be configured to perform one or more of the processes shown in any of the flowcharts or signaling diagrams described herein. In one embodiment, apparatus 20 may be controlled by memory 24 and processor 22 to perform the method shown in the example of fig. 5B. Thus, according to one embodiment, apparatus 20 may be configured to perform processes related to MBS session activation and/or deactivation, for example.

Fig. 6C shows an example of an apparatus 30 according to another example embodiment. In an example embodiment, the apparatus 30 may be a node or element in or associated with a communication network, such as a satellite, base station, node B, evolved node B (eNB), 5G node B or access point, next generation node B (NG-NB or gNB), and/or WLAN access point associated with a radio access network, such as an LTE network, 5G or NR. According to one embodiment, the apparatus 30 may be a multicast broadcast management entity or function, or may be included therein, such as MB-SMF.

In some example embodiments, the apparatus 30 may include one or more processors, one or more computer-readable storage media (e.g., memory, storage, etc.), one or more radio access components (e.g., modem, transceiver, etc.), and/or a user interface. In some example embodiments, the apparatus 30 may be configured to operate using one or more radio access technologies, such as GSM, LTE, LTE-A, NR, 5G, WLAN, wiFi, NB-IoT, multeFire, and/or any other radio access technology. It should be noted that one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the device 30 may include components or features not shown in fig. 6C.

As shown in the example of fig. 6C, the apparatus 30 may include or be coupled to a processor 32 for processing information and executing instructions or operations. Processor 32 may be any type of general purpose or special purpose processor. In fact, as an example, the processor 32 may include one or more of the following: general purpose computers, special purpose computers, microprocessors, digital Signal Processors (DSPs), field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), and processors based on a multi-core processor architecture. Although a single processor 32 is shown in fig. 6C, multiple processors may be used according to other example embodiments. For example, it should be appreciated that in some example embodiments, apparatus 30 may comprise two or more processors, which may form a multiprocessor system that may support multiple processing (e.g., processor 32 may represent multiple processors in this case). In certain example embodiments, the multiprocessor system may be tightly coupled or loosely coupled (e.g., to form a computer cluster).

Processor 32 may perform functions associated with the operation of apparatus 30 including, as some examples, precoding of antenna gain/phase parameters, encoding and decoding of individual bits forming a communication message, formatting of information, and overall control of apparatus 30, including processes related to management of communication resources.

The apparatus 30 may also include or be coupled to a memory 34 (internal or external), the memory 34 may be coupled to the processor 32, the memory 34 for storing information and instructions that may be executed by the processor 32. Memory 34 may be one or more memories and of any type suitable to the local application environment and may be implemented using any suitable volatile or non-volatile data storage technology, such as semiconductor-based memory devices, magnetic memory devices and systems, optical memory devices and systems, fixed memory, and/or removable memory. For example, the memory 34 may include any combination of Random Access Memory (RAM), read Only Memory (ROM), a static storage device such as a magnetic or optical disk, a Hard Disk Drive (HDD), or any other type of non-transitory machine or computer readable medium. The instructions stored in the memory 34 may include program instructions or computer program code that, when executed by the processor 32, enable the apparatus 30 to perform the tasks described herein.

In an example embodiment, the apparatus 30 may also include or be coupled to a (internal or external) drive or port configured to accept and read external computer-readable storage media, such as an optical disk, a USB drive, a flash drive, or any other storage medium. For example, an external computer readable storage medium may store computer programs or software for execution by processor 32 and/or device 30.

In some example embodiments, the apparatus 30 may also include or be coupled to one or more antennas 35, the antennas 35 to receive the downlink signals and to transmit from the apparatus 30 via the uplink. The apparatus 30 may also include a transceiver 38 configured to transmit and receive information. The transceiver 38 may also include a radio interface (e.g., a modem) coupled to the antenna 35. The radio interface may correspond to a variety of radio access technologies including one or more of GSM, LTE, LTE-a, 5G, NR, WLAN, NB-IoT, BT-LE, RFID, UWB, and the like. The radio interface may include other components such as filters, converters (e.g., digital-to-analog converters, etc.), symbol demappers, signal shaping components, inverse Fast Fourier Transform (IFFT) modules, etc., to process symbols carried by the downlink or uplink, such as OFDMA symbols.

For example, transceiver 38 may be configured to modulate information onto a carrier wave for transmission by antenna(s) 35 and demodulate information received via antenna(s) 35 for further processing by other elements of apparatus 30. In other example embodiments, the transceiver 38 may be capable of directly transmitting and receiving signals or data. Additionally or alternatively, in some example embodiments, the apparatus 30 may include input and/or output devices (I/O devices). In certain example embodiments, the apparatus 30 may further comprise a user interface, such as a graphical user interface or a touch screen.

In one example embodiment, memory 34 stores software modules that provide functionality when executed by processor 32. The module may include, for example, an operating system that provides operating system functionality for device 30. The memory may also store one or more functional modules, such as applications or programs, to provide additional functionality to the apparatus 30. The components of apparatus 30 may be implemented in hardware or as any suitable combination of hardware and software. According to an example embodiment, apparatus 30 may optionally be configured to communicate with apparatus 10 via a wireless or wired communication link 71 and/or with apparatus 20 via a wireless or wired communication link 72 according to any radio access technology, such as NR.

According to some example embodiments, the processor 32 and the memory 34 may be included in, or may form part of, processing circuitry or control circuitry. Further, in some example embodiments, the transceiver 38 may be included in, or may form part of, transceiver circuitry.

As described above, according to some example embodiments, the apparatus 30 may be a multicast broadcast management entity or function, such as MB-SMF. According to certain example embodiments, the apparatus 30 may be controlled by the memory 34 and the processor 32 to perform the functions associated with the example embodiments described herein. For example, in some example embodiments, the apparatus 30 may be configured to perform one or more of the processes shown in any of the diagrams or signaling flow diagrams described herein. In one embodiment, the apparatus 30 may be controlled by the memory 34 and the processor 32 to perform the method according to the example of fig. 5C. According to some example embodiments, for example, apparatus 30 may be configured to perform procedures related to MBS session activation and/or deactivation.

In some embodiments, an apparatus (e.g., apparatus 10 and/or apparatus 20 and/or apparatus 30) may include means for performing the methods discussed herein or any variant thereof, such as the methods described with reference to one or more of fig. 2-5. Examples of such components may include one or more processors, memories, controllers, transmitters, receivers, and/or computer program code for causing performance of these operations.

In view of the foregoing, certain example embodiments provide several technical improvements, enhancements and/or advantages over prior art processes, and constitute an improvement over at least the wireless network control and management arts. For example, as described above, in some embodiments, MB-SMF storage utilizing NG-RAN node IDs is deactivated and/or activated. Thus, no information storage is required in the AMF, as the AMF only acts as a routing agent when delivering deactivation and/or activation messages. Furthermore, according to some embodiments, deactivation and/or activation does not involve SMF (of the UE), as shown in the examples of fig. 2-4. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the MBS context, MBS portion in the UE context, and N3 shared tunnel are not all removed, but only for the NG-RAN node to remove the UE that decides to transition to RRC idle. Thus, the use of certain example embodiments improves the functionality of the communication network and its nodes (such as base stations, enbs, gnbs, and/or IoT devices, UEs, or mobile stations).

In some example embodiments, the functionality of any of the methods, processes, signaling diagrams, algorithms, or flowcharts described herein may be implemented by software and/or computer program code or code portions stored in a memory or other computer readable or tangible medium and executable by a processor.

In some example embodiments, an apparatus may include or be associated with at least one software application, module, unit, or entity configured as arithmetic operation(s) or as a program or program portion (including added or updated software routines) executed by at least one operating processor or controller. Programs (also referred to as program products or computer programs, including software routines, applets, and macros) may be stored in any apparatus-readable data storage medium and may include program instructions for performing particular tasks. The computer program product may include one or more computer-executable components configured to perform some example embodiments when the program is run. One or more of the computer-executable components may be at least one software code or code portion. The modifications and configurations required to implement the functionality of the example embodiments may be performed as routine(s) which may be implemented as added or updated software routine(s). In one example, the software routine(s) may be downloaded into the device.

For example, the software or computer program code or code portions may be in source code form, object code form, or in some intermediate form, and it may be stored in some carrier, distribution medium, or computer readable medium, which may be any entity or device capable of carrying the program. Such carriers may include, for example, recording media, computer memory, read-only memory, electro-optical and/or electronic carrier signals, telecommunications signals, and/or software distribution packages. The computer program may be executed in a single electronic digital computer or may be distributed among multiple computers, depending on the processing power required. The computer readable medium or computer readable storage medium may be a non-transitory medium.

In other example embodiments, the functions of the example embodiments may be performed by hardware or circuitry included in an apparatus, such as through the use of an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), a Programmable Gate Array (PGA), a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), or any other combination of hardware and software. In yet another example embodiment, the functionality of the example embodiment may be implemented as a signal, such as an intangible manner that may be carried by an electromagnetic signal downloaded from the internet or other network.

According to example embodiments, an apparatus, such as a node, device, or corresponding component, may be configured as circuitry, a computer, or a microprocessor, such as a single-chip computer element, or as a chipset, which may include at least a memory to provide storage capacity for arithmetic operation(s) and/or an operation processor to perform arithmetic operation(s).

Example embodiments described herein may be applied to both singular and plural implementations, regardless of whether the singular or plural language is used in connection with describing certain embodiments. For example, embodiments describing the operation of a single network node may also be applied to embodiments comprising multiple instances of a network node, and vice versa.

Those of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate that the example embodiments discussed above may be practiced with a different order of processes and/or with different configurations of hardware elements than those disclosed. Thus, while some embodiments have been described based on these example embodiments, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that certain modifications, variations, and alternative constructions will be apparent while remaining within the spirit and scope of the example embodiments.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

transmitting, by a network node, a Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) session establishment message comprising at least one of an identifier of the network node and an identifier of a management entity through which the Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) session establishment message is transmitted;

receiving a message to deactivate the Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) session; and

in response to receiving the message to deactivate a Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) session, transitioning a context of the Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) session to a deactivated state.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein when the Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) context is in the deactivated state, the method comprises at least one of:

maintaining the Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) context information in User Equipment (UE) contexts of one or more User Equipments (UEs) still in a Radio Resource Control (RRC) connected state;

maintaining the Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) context information in the User Equipment (UE) context of one or more User Equipments (UEs) still in a Radio Resource Control (RRC) inactive state;

maintaining MBS session context information in the network node when there is at least one User Equipment (UE) in the network node in a Radio Resource Control (RRC) connected state or a Radio Resource Control (RRC) inactive state; or alternatively

An N3 shared tunnel is maintained when at least one User Equipment (UE) is in a Radio Resource Control (RRC) connected state or a Radio Resource Control (RRC) inactive state in the network node.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving a message to activate the Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) session; and

avoiding transitioning a Radio Resource Control (RRC) connected User Equipment (UE) or a Radio Resource Control (RRC) inactive User Equipment (UE) involved in the Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) session to a Radio Resource Control (RRC) idle state.

4. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code,

the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to:

transmitting a Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) session establishment message comprising at least one of an identifier of the apparatus and an identifier of a management entity through which the Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) session establishment message is transmitted;

5. A method, comprising:

receiving a message from a multicast broadcast session management entity to deactivate the Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) session, the message comprising at least identifiers of one or more network nodes involved in the Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) session; and

transmitting a deactivation message to deactivate the Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) session towards the one or more network nodes indicated in the received deactivation message.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising, prior to receiving the message to deactivate:

receiving, at the management entity, a Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) session establishment message from a network node, the Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) session establishment message comprising at least one of an identifier of the network node and an identifier of the management entity;

forwarding, by the management entity, the Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) session establishment message to the multicast broadcast session management entity.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the sending of the deactivation message comprises at least one of:

Copying the deactivation message towards the one or more network nodes indicated in the deactivation message received from the multicast broadcast session management entity; or alternatively

For each of the one or more network nodes indicated in the deactivation message received from the multicast broadcast session management entity, an individual message is constructed and sent to deactivate the Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) session.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving a message from the multicast broadcast session management entity to activate the Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) session, the message comprising at least identifiers of one or more network nodes involved in the Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) session; and

an activation message to activate the Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) session is sent to the one or more network nodes identified in the message received from the multicast broadcast session management entity.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the sending of the activation message comprises:

copying the activation message towards the one or more network nodes identified in the activation message received from the multicast broadcast session management entity; or alternatively

An individual message is constructed and sent for each of the one or more network nodes identified in the activation message received from the multicast broadcast session management entity to activate the Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) session.

10. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code,

11. A method, comprising:

at a multicast broadcast session management entity, receiving a Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) session setup message from at least one management entity, the Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) session setup message comprising at least one of: an identifier of at least one network node requesting to establish the Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) session, and an identifier of the at least one management entity; and

At the multicast broadcast session management entity, storing at least one of: the identifier of the at least one network node, the identifier of the at least one management entity, or an identifier of a region of the at least one management entity.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the storing comprises constructing and storing at least one of: a list of the identifiers of the at least one network node for each management entity or a list of the identifiers of the at least one network node for each area.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein when the multicast broadcast session management entity decides to trigger deactivation of the Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) session, the method comprises:

a message to deactivate the Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) session is sent to a management entity, wherein the message comprises at least an identifier of at least one network node involved in the Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) session.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the management entity comprises: the at least one management entity having a stored identifier, or a management entity associated with an area having a stored identifier.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the sending of the message to deactivate the Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) session comprises at least one of:

transmitting a deactivation message to the at least one management entity, wherein the deactivation message comprises: a list of identifiers of at least one network node involved in the Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) session associated with the at least one management entity; or alternatively

Transmitting a deactivation message to one management entity for each stored region, wherein the deactivation message comprises: a list of identifiers for at least one network node involved in the Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) session of the zone.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein when the multicast broadcast session management entity decides to trigger activation of the Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) session, the method comprises:

retrieving an identifier of at least one network node involved in the Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) session; and

a message to activate the Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) session is sent to a management entity, wherein the message comprises at least an identifier of at least one network node involved in the Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) session.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the management entity comprises: the at least one management entity having a stored identifier, or a management entity associated with an area having a stored identifier.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the sending of the message to activate the Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) session comprises:

transmitting an activation message to the at least one management entity, wherein the activation message comprises: a list of identifiers of at least one network node involved in the Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) session associated with the at least one management entity; or alternatively

Transmitting an activation message to one management entity for each stored area, wherein the activation message comprises: a list of identifiers for at least one network node involved in the Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) session of the zone.

19. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code,

Receiving a Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) session establishment message from at least one management entity, the Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) session establishment message comprising at least one of: an identifier of at least one network node requesting to establish the Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) session, and an identifier of the at least one management entity; and

storing at least one of: the identifier of the at least one network node, the identifier of the at least one management entity, or an identifier of a region of the at least one management entity.

20. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising program instructions stored thereon for performing the method of claim 1.

21. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising program instructions stored thereon for performing the method of claim 5.

22. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising program instructions stored thereon for performing the method of claim 11.